A Teen’s Take on Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift’s new album has been reviewed, explored and analyzed to death. There has been speculation about nearly every one of the 67 minutes that make up Speak Now. So I didn’t want to add my two cents to what has pretty much become the most lavishly-praised country album in recent memory. What I did want to do is find out what someone other than a music critic had to say. And, luckily, I have a teenage daughter for that. One who hasn’t been in the loop regarding who inspired this song and who that one is about.

So after paying $13.99 of her own money for the album, she gave me her thoughts. Overall comments included: “It’s even better than Fearless,” “Her voice sounds really mature” and “The songs are so catchy.” Not the words of a professional music critic, I know. But critics are not the only ones buying the album. (And when I asked her if it was worth the $13.99, she said it was worth twice that.)

Her favorite tracks were “Back to December”
(because it’s not Swift’s usual style of music), “Speak Now”
(because it’s a cool story about being at a wedding and because it’s acoustic) and “Mean” (because “it sounds so country, and it’s relatable because she’s talking to a teenage boy or anyone, really. I mean, people are just mean, and she’s gonna go on and do good things, and he’s still gonna be mean”).